Bustamante trial date pushed back

Bustamante trial date pushed back

Bustamante, 17, is charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the killing of 9-year-old Elizabeth Olten in October 2009.

According to court records, Cole County Presiding Judge Pat Joyce continued the case to Sept. 12.

Prosecutors argued against the move.

Jury selection had been scheduled to begin June 1. The jury will still come from Greene County to hear the case in Cole County.

It's believed the trial could last up to 10 days.

Court records show Bustamante's lawyers, public defenders Charles Moreland and Donald Catlett, asked for the delay due to both of them already involved in murder cases of other clients. They said those cases would not allow them adequate time to be ready to defend Bustamante.

Moreland and Catlett also said they needed more time to study recently released information on DNA findings in this case.